Switch-throwing device.



F. SLONOWSKI.

SWITCH THEOWING DEVICE.

' APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1912.

INVENTOR JZfi/onmda/lf ATTORNEYS WITNESSES Y I CMM (2111.

FRANK SLONOWSKI, OF MAR-IANNA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SWITCH-THROWING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22,1912.

Application filed April 17, 1912. Serial No. 691,314.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SLoNoWsKI, a subject of the Emperor of AustriaHungary, residing at Marianna, in the county of ashington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switcl1Throwing Devices, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a switch throwing device, and the primary object of my invention is to provide a switch throwing device that can be advantageously used in connection with street cars for throwing switch tongues, thereby obviating the necessity of employing switchmen for this purpose or the necessity of a motorman or conductor leaving a car to throw the switch tongue.

Another object of this invention is to provide a switch throwing device that is positive in its action, durable and highly eflicient for throwing switch tongues while a car is in motion.

A further object of this invention is to provide a switch throwing device that can be set, whereby as the switch is approached, the switch tongues thereof will be thrown, without the attention of the motorman of a car.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein like numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the switch throwing device partly broken away and partly in section, Fig. 2 is a plan of a. switch in accordance with this invention showing the switch shoe with respect to the switch tongue, Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a portion of the car equipment, Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan of the car equipment, Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a shoe.

The track equipment of this invention comprises an oblong casing 1 that is located between ties 2 supporting the main rail 3 of a track and shiftable switch tongues 4 that form part of a siding or main track (not shown). The top of the casing 1 has longitudinal slots or openings 5 and movably arranged within said casing is a connecting bar 6. This bar has pins 7 extending upwardly through the slots 5 in the end of the casing and connected to the switch tongues 4. The shiftable bar 6 has another pin 8 that extends upwardly through the slot 5 that is intermediate the ends of the casing l and centrally of the main track. By shifting the pin 8 from one end of the slot to the other, the tongues 4 can be moved to and from the rail 3.

The car equipment comprises a circular hollow base 9 that is placed upon the platform 10 of a car convenient to the motorman or operator of the car. The base 9 is held by vertical bolts-ll and these bolts retain a bearing plate 12 against the upper side of the platform 10. The top of the base 9 has an annular ball race 13 for anti-frictional balls 14. The base 9 has a central opening 15 and rotatably mounted in said opening is a vertical cylinder 16. This cylinder has the lower end thereof closed with the exception of a small opening 17 and the end of the cylinder is exteriorly screw threaded, as at 18 to receive nuts 19 that prevent vertical displacement of said cylinder relatively to the base 9. The cylinder 6, adjacent to the lower end thereof, has an annular flange 20 and the lower side of this flange is provided with a ball race 21 to receive the antifrictional balls 14. Mounted in the upper end of the cylinder 16 by a transverse pin 22 is a head 23 having a hearing 24 for a pivoted locking lever 25. The outer end of the locking lever terminates in a pin 26 and the inner end of said lever has a suitable handle 27. Mounted upon the plat-form 10 of the car, adjacent to the cylinder 16, is an inverted U-shaped upright 28 that has the upper end thereof provided with equally spaced opening 29 adapted to receive the pin 26 of the pivoted lever 25. Attached to the lever 25, as at 30 is a coiled retractile spring 31, said spring having the opposite end thereof connected to an apertured lug 32 carried by the cylinder 16. Extending through the plate 12, the plat form 10 and the opening 17 and the lower end of the cylinder, is a vertical rod 33 that has the end thereof within the cylinder 16 provided with a head 34. Connected to the head 34 and extending through a longitudinal slot 35 in the cylinder 16 is a tread piece 36. The tread piece 86 can be locked in a lowered position by a pivoted locking arm 37 pivotally connected to the front side of the cylinder 16, as at 38. The lower end of the locking arm 37 is shaped to engage the tread 36 and hold said tread in an adjusted position. The upper end of the locking arm has a handle whereby said arm can be easily moved. Encireling the rod 33, within the cylinder 16, is a coiled spring 39, said spring retaining the rod 33 in a normally elevated position. Mounted upon the rod 33, below the plate 12, is a circular head 40 and encircling said rod, between said head and the plate 12, is a coiled spring 41, said spring serving as a bumper to prevent the rod from being injured due to vibrations of the car, also to yieldably support said rod, whereby the tread 36 will not be injured when contacting with the cylinder 16 at the upper end of the slot 35. Mounted upon the lower end of the red 33 by a transverse pin 42 is the sleeve 4:23 of a tapering shoe 14, said shoe having the side walls 4:5 and one end thereof beveled, as at 46 whereby the shoe can easily ride into engagement with the pin 8.

Approaching a switch, the motorman or operator of the car presses upon the handle 27 to elevate the pin 26 and remove the same from the upper end of the upright 28. The motorman can then swing the cylinder 16 to position the shoe 44-, whereby one of the walls 45 thereof will engage the upper end of the pin 8. The cylinder 16 having been positioned, the lever 25 is released whereby the pin 26 will engage in one of the openings 29 and lock the cylinder 16 relatively to the upright 28. The tension of the spring 31 retains the locking lever 25 in engagement with the upright and prevents accidental displacement of the pin 26 while the device is in use. The motorman of the car next places his foot upon the tread 36 and lowers the rod 33 within the cylinder 16, placing the spring 39 under tension. As the tread 36 is lowered, the locking arm 37 swings into engagement with said tread and locks the same in a lowered position. As the shoe 4A encounters the pin 8, the pin is shifted to move the switch tongues t relatively to the rail 3. The car having passed the switch, the operator or motorman of the car shifts the arm 87 to release the tread 36 and the spring 39 elevates the rod 33 and the shoe at. lVith the pin 26 in the central opening 29 of the upright 28, the shoe as is positioned to pass the pin 8 without moving the switch tongues 4, and it is only by shifting the pin 26 to one of the end openings 29, that the tongues 4 are opened or closed relatively to the rail 8.

It is thought that the operation and utility of the switch throwing device will be apparent without further description, and while in the drawing there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structural elements are susceptible to such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. In a switch throwing device, the combination with a track equipment, of a car equipment comprising a base, a cylinder rotatably mounted upon said. base, a spring supported rod extending into said cylinder and through said base, a shoe carried by the lower end of said rod and adapted to engage the pin of said track equipment, a tread supported by the upper end of said rod exteriorly of said cylinder, and means including a pivoted locking arm for holding said tread in a lowered position with said shoe in position to engage the said track equipment for operating it.

2. In a switch throwing device, the com bination with a track equipment, of a car equipment comprising a base, a cylinder rotatably mounted upon said base, a spring supported rod extending into said cylinder and through said base, a shoe carried by the lower end of said rod and adapted to engage the pin of said track equipn'lent, a tread supported by the upper end of said rod exteriorly of said cylinder, means including a pivoted locking arm for holding said tread in a lowered position with said shoe in position to engage the pin of said track equipment and shift the tongues thereof, and means including a pivoted locking lever for moving said cylinder whereby said shoe will be correctly positioned to shift the said. track equipment in a desired direction.

3. In a switch throwing device, the combination with a track equipment including tongues, a bar connecting said tongues, and a pin carried by said bar, of a car equipment comprising a rotatable cylinder, a spring supported rod extending into said cylinder, a shoe carried by the lower end of said rod for engaging the pin of said bar, a tread arranged exteriorly of said cylinder and connected to the upper end of said rod for lowering said rod, a pivoted locking arm adapted to engage said tread and retain said rod in a lowered position, and means including an upright and a pivoted locking lever for moving said cylinder to correctly position said shoe to operate said track equipment.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK SLONOWSKI.

Witnesses:

FRANK SLOCIAR, K. H. BUTLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

